Baroness Andrews: My honourable friend the Minister for Local Government has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Our local government White Paper, Strong and Prosperous Communities, made clear that the status quo in two-tier areas is not an option. Accordingly, in parallel with the White Paper's publication in October 2006 we invited councils in two-tier areas to submit by 25 January 2007 proposals for unitary status. We also invited bids from councils to pioneer as pathfinders new two-tier models.
	We have now received 26 bids for unitary status and five pathfinder bids. These are:
	
		
			 Unitary Bids 
			 Councils Submitting Proposals Proposed Unitary Structure 
			 1. Bedford Borough Council Bedford unitary 
			 2. Bedfordshire County Council County unitary 
			 3. Cheshire County Council County unitary 
			 4. Chester City Council 2 unitary option for Cheshire 
			 5. Cornwall County Council County unitary 
			 6. Cornwall districts County unitary 
			 7. Cumbria County Council County unitary 
			 8. Durham County Council County unitary 
			 9. Durham districts Future unitary status for county area 
			 10. East Riding District (an existing unitary) East Riding and Selby 
			 11. Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council 3 unitary option for Cheshire 
			 12. Exeter City Council Exeter unitary 
			 13. Ipswich Borough Council Ipswich unitary 
			 14. Lancaster City Council Lancaster unitary 
			 15. Mid Bedfordshire District Council & South Bedfordshire District Council Unitary covering both districts 
			 16. North Yorkshire County Council County unitary 
			 17. Northumberland County Council County unitary 
			 18. Northumberland districts councils 2 unitary option for Northumberland 
			 19. Norwich City Council Norwich unitary 
			 20. Oxford City Council 3 unitary option for Oxfordshire 
			 21. Pendle Borough Council & Burnley Borough Council Burnley and Pendle unitary 
			 22. Preston City Council Preston unitary 
			 23. Shropshire County Council County unitary 
			 24. Somerset County Council County unitary 
			 25. South Somerset District Council East Somerset unitary 
			 26. Wiltshire County Council County Unitary 
		
	
	
		
			 Pathfinder Proposals 
			 1. Buckinghamshire 
			 2. Dorset 
			 3. Hertfordshire 
			 4. Lincolnshire 
			 5. Suffolk 
		
	
	All bids will now be carefully considered. Unitary proposals will be assessed against the criteria specified in the invitation to decide which proposals will go forward for stakeholder consultation. We intend to announce our decisions in March, and launch the consultation at the end of March with a 12-week consultation period.
	The criteria are that any change to future unitary structures must be affordable, and be supported by a broad cross-section of partners and stakeholders; and that the future structures must provide strong, effective and accountable leadership, deliver genuine opportunities for neighbourhood flexibility and empowerment, and deliver value for money and equity on public services.
	Following the stakeholder consultation on proposals, the Government will reassess those proposals and intend to announce by the end of July 2007 which proposals will proceed to implementation.
	We will also assess the pathfinder bids, and intend to announce after the March announcement on unitary proposals which pathfinders we will be working with as they develop their innovative two-tier models.
	The period for submitting bids has now ended, and we have no plans to issue any further invitations. Councils everywhere need to ensure that their focus remains on delivering improved outcomes for their communities by working effectively with all partners and stakeholders.
	In those areas for which there are one or more unitary proposals, all councils should now avoid any action that might prejudice the future, whatever the outcome of the bid. In all other areas, where it is already clear that the two-tier structure will continue, we expect councils to pursue improved ways of working together, delivering for their communities that strong local leadership, increased efficiency, better value for money, and reduced council tax potentially offered by unitary options.

Lord Rooker: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Peter Hain) has made the following Ministerial Statement.
	I have received the thirteenth report of the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC). This report has been made under Articles 4 and 7 of the international agreement that established the commission and it reports on levels of paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland. I have considered the content of the report and I am today bringing it before Parliament. I have placed copies in the Library of the House.
	With regard to PIRA, the IMC has identified a significant number of developments in the three months under review since its last report; all these developments have been positive and have provided further confirmation of its view that the leadership is fully committed to a political path and the successful implementation of that strategy.
	As the IMC notes, the decision taken by the Sinn Fein ard fheis on 28 January to support policing and criminal justice was "a very major development" and achieved through the commitment and efforts of the Sinn Fein leadership. While it notes that opposing opinions were expressed during the course of the ard fheis, it praises the fact that such differences were expressed by political means and democratic debate. It conclude that,
	"the efforts invested by the leadership of the republican movement in presenting the arguments in favour of the change were further substantial evidence of their commitment to the democratic process".
	In terms of terrorist activities, the IMC has noted a,
	"continued deterioration of terrorist capability".
	It has also noted that members who had previously shown interest in acquiring small arms,
	"appear not to have followed their inclination through",
	in order to obey the instructions of the leadership. It has further noted that PIRA has not been responsible for any shootings or assaults and has not conducted intelligence-gathering for any unlawful purposes; neither has it engaged in any sectarian violence, intimidation nor other forms of crime. In all the above areas, the IMC states that:
	"The directions from the PIRA leadership to members have remained clear and consistent. Terrorism and violence have been abandoned".
	On loyalism, the IMC concludes that individuals have continued to show leadership in attempting to,
	"guide the respective organisations away from criminality and towards both involvement in community development and democratic politics".
	However, it characterises progress across the loyalist organisations as "patchy" and urges that all should work to quicken the pace of change.
	The Government believe that this report removes the final, major impediment to the restoration of stable and lasting devolution in Northern Ireland. It is now for the politicians to grasp the historic opportunity which lies before them in the coming weeks.
	Once again, I am grateful to the commission for its submission of this report and for its careful analysis.